THIS EPISODE Mike catches up with pal Alex Howes of Garmin-Sharp in the middle of the 2014 USA Cycling Professional National Championships. Mike and Alex had their chat just a few days before Team SmartStop very nearly swept the podium in a one-two finish that put Howes on the bronze medal step.
Their raucous and rollicking conversation starts with a cryptic discussion of PCBC (Pro Cyclists Book Club), a somewhat mysterious reading group for Girona-based cyclists akin to Fight Club, crazy tales of their respective grandmas, dysentery as a climbing enhancement, and exploration of the Howes motto – “When bad things happen, I like to be in them.”
Tough, confident, and talented on the climbs and in the sprints, Howes was tapped as one of the favorites to win the road racing national championships in Chattanooga this year. His experiences in Europe have given him the skills necessary to take his place on the World Tour arena, and this entertaining and insightful conversation between good friends shows the many facets of Howes’ diamond-in-the-rough personality.
Knowing now how the nationals road race finished with a win by SmartStop’s Eric Marcotte and second place by Travis McCabe (as well as the sad and unfortunate crash by Taylor Phinney), it’s fascinating to hear the speculation and prediction by Mike and Alex of how the race might play out.
We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.
As always, Open Mic with Mike Creed is presented by The Colorado Cyclist, Mike’s very first professional cycling team in 1998. Thanks to everyone at Colorado Cyclist for their support of Mike over the years, and a big thank you to them for stepping up and sponsoring the podcast and offering $50 gift cards to our Twitter contest winners. Please visit their website at coloradocyclist.com and give them a follow on Twitter at @Co_Cyclist to show your appreciation for everything they do for us.
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